Author Topic: Which Smart phone mapping is best?  (Read 7064 times)

ninthace

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #45 on: 09:39:27, 12/08/19 »
A little “war story”.  I always use the “standard “ maps on my Garmin for navigation - OS in UK, Kompass in Austria etc. but I also have Freizeitkarte and CacheMap UK on my SD card as back up in case I walk off the map tiles I have downloaded.
Four years ago in Austria we were walking a ridge with the intention of descending from the end via a cable car.  When we got there, the cable car had stopped running owing to high winds so we were faced with a hike off the mountain. It was at this point I realised it meant we would walk off the map I was carrying and the corresponding map tile on my gps - bad planning I know.  As we fell off the map, I switched to the Freizeitkarte which not only got us down safely but also took us through the streets of the town at the bottom to the bus station.
The free maps may lack the detail of the better maps but they will “get you home”.
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BuzyG

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #46 on: 22:59:40, 12/08/19 »
Perfect! OS map download does what I need and I can record tracks too so thank you everyone for helping. Now I need to work out how not to fill my phone with OS maps..... :)
Not sure what the limit is but I currently have 22 OSmaps loaded and active, on my second hand S5 from flea bay.  Handles them smoothly without any issues.  O0

BuzyG

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #47 on: 23:02:12, 12/08/19 »
A little “war story”.  I always use the “standard “ maps on my Garmin for navigation - OS in UK, Kompass in Austria etc. but I also have Freizeitkarte and CacheMap UK on my SD card as back up in case I walk off the map tiles I have downloaded.
Four years ago in Austria we were walking a ridge with the intention of descending from the end via a cable car.  When we got there, the cable car had stopped running owing to high winds so we were faced with a hike off the mountain. It was at this point I realised it meant we would walk off the map I was carrying and the corresponding map tile on my gps - bad planning I know.  As we fell off the map, I switched to the Freizeitkarte which not only got us down safely but also took us through the streets of the town at the bottom to the bus station.
The free maps may lack the detail of the better maps but they will “get you home”.


Ninthace, which maps did you use for NewZealand?

ninthace

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #48 on: 00:59:09, 13/08/19 »

Ninthace, which maps did you use for NewZealand?
Mapping in NZ is not great compared with ours - sorry to any Kiwis reading.  The NZ equivalent of our OS is LINZ.  There is no Garmin equivalent to the Birdseye OS mapping imagery based on LINZ.  I managed, with advice from sussamb to download Open Source maps of NZ with a Topo overlay onto my Garmin.  It was not hugely successful as a map but it was usable.
If you have ViewRanger you can subscribe to LINZ mapping in a similar way to the VR subscription to OS in this country.  You can subscribe monthly, it wasn’t a lot of credits.  I plotted my routes in advance of my trip and saved the gpx files to OneDrive so I could pull down the traces to my phone when I wanted and when I had Wi-fi.  I duplicated the library of traces onto my Garmin SD card as I did not have access to Basecamp during the trip.  On the trip I used VR with LINZ as my main aid with the trace on Garmin as a backup.  I recorded the.walk on both VR and Garmin.
You can buy paper LINZ maps but I did not bother as I had A4 printouts of possible walks anyway. Walking in NZ tends to be on trails which are usually well marked.  You should be aware there is no equivalent system of public footpaths as such.  Private land is just that.
Our best walk was the Tongariro Alpine Crossing.  You will need to book it as it is a point to point walk and you cannot leave cars at either end for more than 4 hours.  The route is well marked and there is a stream of people on it.  Most people stay in the National Park and get bussed to the start.  The buses have a system of accounting for you so you will not get left behind.
We are off to NZ again in Oct/Nov as Ninthace Minor as just produced a little Ninthace of his own.  This time we will be based in Rotorua.  Do you have a planned area to visit?
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ninthace

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #49 on: 21:17:12, 13/08/19 »
Further to my last.  Just found there is an app called NZ Topo for the iPhone and iPad.  There may be an equivalent for Android.
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BuzyG

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #50 on: 21:43:21, 13/08/19 »
Our rough plan is. Fly into Auckland. Jump a plane to Christchurch.  Pick up a hire car or may be a camper.  Down to Akaroa then back up and across to mount Cook. Then make our way up to Blenheim.  Over to Wellington to see number one and only son. Then up to New Plymouth, with son and his girlfriend, to hopefully climb, Mount Taranaki.  Finally over to Rotorua and back to Auckland for the plane homeward.  Only thing booked so far is the flights to Auckland.  Much detail to fill in. Fortunately we both enjoyed driving and walking.  :)  Any other recommends Welcome.  I should probably kick off a separate thread.

BuzyG

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #51 on: 21:47:55, 13/08/19 »
Further to my last.  Just found there is an app called NZ Topo for the iPhone and iPad.  There may be an equivalent for Android.
I will take a look. I have found several online live maps using the openmapping data from LINZ.  But as yet have no off line tool up and running.


ninthace

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #52 on: 22:17:55, 13/08/19 »
  I should probably kick off a separate thread.
  Good idea.  My DiL's family farms near New Plymouth.  Ninthace minor climbed Taranaki for his stag party.
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Literary Gal

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #53 on: 15:59:52, 29/08/19 »
Literary Gal - do you have a paper Ordnance Survey map with the scratch off code for access to the same map digitally?


If you do, your best bet will be to use the Ordnance Survey Mobile Download [nofollow] service which will allow you to view the digital version of your paper map on your phone.  I believe the cost of the Ordnance Survey app is free and, seeing as you've already paid for your paper map (with scratch n sniff code), you do not need to pay again for the digital version. (The digital map isn't viewable via any other app than the OS mapping app so won't work via ViewRanger.)


If you don't have the paper map scratch off code then your best option will probably be to sign up for either Ordnance Survey's or ViewRanger's digital / online mapping service - both of which will allow you to view 1:25k Ordnance Survey maps on your mobile device.


Like sussamb says, you have to pay for Ordnance Survey mapping (either by subscription or individual map/tile purchase) but OSM (Open Street Maps) are free to view on both of these (and other) apps.  The thing is, they don't look like a "normal" Ordnance Survey map and might be a bit confusing if you just want a visual like-for-like spot-check confirmation of your location.


Hope this helps.


You've been really helpful - thank you! I now have a card for my phone. Its installed but how do I send the OS maps which I have downloaded to the phone - pre card - to the card? I thought the card might help but it hasn't. Many thanks in anticipation....


JerryW

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #54 on: 16:22:43, 29/08/19 »
If you have an android phone I would go for Back Country Navigator. The app costs £8 and any map sections you download are free. It provides os maps for the uk down to 1:25000 scale. There is  free version which you can use for 2 weeks to see if you like it before having to payout any money. Worth a try if you have an android phone.
Just to be clear: you are saying this app, if you pay £8, gives you free 1:25,000 OS explorer maps? for offline use?
I'm not saying I don't believe you but I haven't found any app that does that. i currently use Anquet, that will sell you 1:25000 maps for offline use
Jerry
I love the outdoors, and will be out there, while I can :-)

Patrick1

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #55 on: 20:44:51, 29/08/19 »
Just to be clear: you are saying this app, if you pay £8, gives you free 1:25,000 OS explorer maps? for offline use?
I'm not saying I don't believe you but I haven't found any app that does that. i currently use Anquet, that will sell you 1:25000 maps for offline use
Jerry


Maverick is entirely free for Android and gives you unlimited OS 1:50000 and 1:25000 maps, viewable offline. Just choose "OS Explorer"  from the list of map sources in the left hand menu. There are only two provisos.
1) You need to view the area you're interested in at the appropriate zoom level online, before it is cached and  hence viewable offline. However, once you have then its available indefinitely.
2) Downloads are limited until you create a token following instructions available here. Once you've done this you can download as much of the UK as you want - or have memory for!

ninthace

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #56 on: 21:17:15, 29/08/19 »
In ViewRanger or the OS mapping app there is the option of downloading a map for off line use as well.  The maps are zoomable.
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scottk

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #57 on: 07:59:15, 30/08/19 »
I have switched to memory maps after OS mobile failed miserable. I have the annual sub for OS and had downloaded my track for offline use but it wouldn’t work and the app would shutdown. Of course it was in an area with no service! Didn’t cause an issue as I had a map but when I got home I reported the issue. Their solution was to reinstall the app- not much use if you don’t have service.
The memory maps was £50 for the UK 50000:1 OS mapping which is available offline forever.
If I had an android phone I would use Locus Pro

Doddy

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #58 on: 14:20:38, 18/09/19 »
MemoryMap for me. I have 1:50K on two devices and PC and 1:25K -a phone only deal, all work well.

ninthace

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Re: Which Smart phone mapping is best?
« Reply #59 on: 15:57:57, 18/09/19 »
Unless MM has changed since I abandoned it, it falls down against ViewRanger and the OS app at the planning stage.  Both VR and OS allow users to share routes and traces which I find useful when planning walks in new areas.  VR actually rewards users who share routes by allowing them to earn credits for each route downloaded by other users.
The reason I abandoned MM was I kept getting  the grey screen of death when I opened it up on my PC.  MM's solution was also to reinstall.  I did that and it wiped out all the traces of routes I had already done, about 3 years worth.  Fortunately I had backed them up because I did not believe MM when they said I wouldn't lose them.  It did not cure the grey screen problem either.  I hope MM's user support has improved - it used to be very slow and not that helpful.  VR and OS have very prompt user support in my experience.
One major failing of the OS app as far as I can tell, you cannot record a trace as you follow a route, unless I have missed something.  VR and dedicated gps devices allow you to do both so you can see where you went as opposed to where you thought you would go.


Heads up to OS app users, they are doing a major upgrade this Thursday, any maps you have downloaded to your phone for off line use will have to be downloaded again.
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